


Edge of the Woods

by General_Fraye



Series: Big Garbage Thought-verse [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Belly Rubs, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Violence, Vomiting, Whump, shapeshifting shennanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-01-05 07:39:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18361568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/General_Fraye/pseuds/General_Fraye
Summary: Based upon this: https://tiny-tum.tumblr.com/post/183714938892/i-have-a-big-garbage-thought-this-is-a-bit-offAlex came into Yasha's life with a crash and a bang, bringing with him a strange world of shape-shifters, violence, and intrigue.That and lots of bellyrubs and cuddles.(Please mind the tags and warnings: as this fic will feature violence and upset bellies.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please be mindful of depiction of gun violence in this chapter. No actual bellies in this chapter, as I got carried away with the actual plotty-bits and forgot to include the good bits--just some good ol' hurtin' with a side of caretaking.

He’d put it off for too long.

 

Things had just been so crazy at the shop--one special order coming in right after another--that Alex barely had enough time to do his laundry let alone go out on a hunt, and then hunting season had started so he figured he might as well try to hold off until it ended--didn’t want to be mistaken for something baggable. He could hold off. He’d only have to go a few weeks into December, at the least.

 

He could do it. 

 

This, of course, meant that Alex woke up to a cold, stark December morning to near delirious pain. 

 

Alex rolled out of bed with a shout, his belly hitting the cold hardwood floor. He groaned, stretching his back to a series of loud pops and cracks. His joints felt loose, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were angled the wrong way, pointed in the wrong direction. His skin burned, longing for the shift--hell even his bones hurt. Too long in some places, too short in others. Everything felt wrong. Out of place. He needed to shift. 

 

Panting, Alex pawed at the floor, his fingernails scratching deep grooves into the wood. “J-jesus!” He winced, riding out another aching throb on the floor. 

 

There was no way he’d make it another day like this. Best case scenario, his body would give out an transform, taking on the wolf form it so desperately wanted--needed--to be. Worst case scenario…

 

Alex didn’t want to think about that. 

 

It took him another five minutes or so to pick himself up off the ground. On stiff legs, he staggered downstairs and to the wall phone. He was supposed to be working today, but there was no way he could go in like this. 

 

His boss wholeheartedly agreed. Alex barely got two sentences out, before the old man cut him off telling him not to come in today. He spent another painstaking three minutes--his eyes locked on the small digital clock on his stove--convincing him that, no, he didn’t need to go to the hospital. It was just the flu, he assured his boss, he should be over it in a few days. 

 

That didn’t stop his boss from telling him--rather ordering him--to take the next few days off. 

 

Alex was already transforming by the time the line went dead. 

***

Humans were about in the woods. 

 

Alex could smell their scent from all directions. They scared off the prey. Too noisy. Too smelly. Prey never rested easily when they sensed predators. They were afraid. Alex was not afraid, just cautious. Humans were fragile, but they had guns, and packs. Alex had only his teeth and his legs.

 

He tipped his head back, catching wind of a scent. 

 

Rabbit. 

 

Alex’s stomach gnawed at itself with hunger. He wanted meat. He wanted deer, but rabbit would do. He was hungry. So hungry. It was an eternity since he’d eaten meat. An eternity and he was so hungry. 

 

The rabbit was caught and it’s neck snapped before he knew it. 

 

Alex settled down with the meat between his paws. Messily, he began to tear chunks off, swallowing greedily. The Man pressed itself upon him, a clear thought passing through his foggy mind,  _ If I eat to quick, I’ll be sick,  _ before dipping down below the water of his mind. Alex continued to gobble down food. He was hungry. He had meat. 

 

His hackles raised. Alex sprang to his paws, growling reflexively. He smelled them before he saw them. Humans. Their scent filled his nose and hung heavy around them. It took him a moment to find them with his eyes. A pack of two, a old one and a young one, clothes flashing in the dappled early morning sunlight. 

 

They cried out when they saw him. The young one pointing and stumbling back, nearly falling on his ass. The old one’s gun sprang up. Alex yelped, his body corkscrewed and he sprang off, running as fast as he could. He could kill them, if he wanted to. But he didn't. He didn’t want to kill them. He wanted to run. Run away. Go home. Away from humans. Run away. Run. 

 

The gunshot was deafening. He flinched just from the sound of it. 

 

Then came the pain. 

 

Before he could stop himself, a howl tore through his lungs. He stumbled and fell to the ground. It hurt. He hurt. Hurt. 

 

Steeling himself, Alex pushed himself up off the ground. Run. He had to run. He had to go. 

 

Run away.

***

Yasha was just about to go home that night when he received word that a dog had been shot. A hunting couple had found it passed out, and threw it in the back of their jeep in a panic and drove to Yasha’s veterinary clinic. They’d shown up screaming, covered in drying blood and banging on Yasha’s front entrance door. 

 

Nearly gave Yasha a heart attack. 

 

Yasha nearly had another heart attack when he saw the ‘dog’ in the back of the jeep. 

 

The ‘dog’ was clearly a wolf. And a monstrous one at that. Probably closer to two hundred pounds than the usual one hundred--but large in stature and muscular rather than fat. Yasha couldn’t stop himself from swearing when he saw it. It’s size was somewhat belayed by the open, oozing wounds on it’s flank and haunches, but it’s muzzle was also coated in dried blood. An ominous sign.The thing breathed laboriously, but otherwise seemed unable to move, having completely exhausted itself and probably in pain. 

 

One large amber eye opened and fixed on Yasha. He felt himself recoil. The wolf stirred, but collapsed again, letting out a soft yelp of pain. 

 

“Oh god,” Yasha swore. Despite himself, he stretched an arm out to the wolf’s head, “I’m not gonna hurt yah, buddy,” he whispered to the wolf. Surprisingly, the wolf let him touch his head. Maybe it wasn’t too surprising, considering that it had let the couple lift him into the jeep. Maybe it understood that these humans wanted to help it? Or maybe it was just too delirious with pain and exhausted from blood loss to put up a fight anymore. 

 

Yasha helped the male half of the couple carry the wolf into his examining room. Once the wolf was on the table, he shooed them off. This was still a wild animal after all. He was dialing animal control in a panic--despite being a vet, Yasha wasn’t quite prepared for this situation, and didn’t even have any techs with him--and grabbing supplies from the back closet, when he heard an all too human cry of pain. 

 

He dropped in phone in the rush to get back to the wolf, thinking that perhaps the couple had foolishly returned to the wolf and had gotten bitten. He wasn’t prepared for what he would return to. 

 

Rather than finding the wolf on the table, and a bleeding human on the floor; he returned to find one naked human sprawled out on the examination table. 

 

Yasha stopped, and looked behind him. He wasn’t quite sure what he expected to find there. Maybe someone with a camera, ready to laugh at him for the sake of some t.v. show he didn’t understand the concept of? No one was behind him, and he could hear nothing else but the soft sobbing of the female half of the couple in the waiting room. 

 

Next Yasha looked around the room. This seemed more logical, as the wolf could have found one last reserve of strength and had gotten up. But again, the room was exactly as he’d left it--aside from the naked man on the table. There was no where else the wolf could have run, as Yasha had just came through the only exit to the room. 

 

Feeling satisfied that he wasn’t about to be ambushed by a wolf--or less likely by a camera man--Yasha took a hesitant step into the room, and then another towards the naked man. 

 

The bleeding, naked man, Yasha realized with a panic. 

 

The naked man on the table was large and muscular. Not cut, but functional in form. Yasha watched as his strong back muscles flexed and contracted with every laborious breathe. He looked white, but tanned in an outdoorsy sort of way--though right now he was a deathly pale. A dark mop of curly hair covered his face. Strands stuck to his forehead and temples, plastered down with sweat. What wasn’t covered in his rat’s nest was covered with a thick beard. 

 

Yasha took another step towards him, “Who  _ are  _ you?” He wondered aloud. Gingerly, he reached out and touched the man’s wide shoulders, barely just grazing him with his fingertips. 

 

The man lurched. His head tipped back and he moaned in pain. 

 

Horror dawned on Yasha as he stared at the man’s blood stained mouth. He glanced down at the man’s flank and leg, staring dully at the wounds on it. His brain was moving sluggishly. There was a conclusion it should be making. Something that he should have arrived at, but some kind of mental block wasn’t allowing him from making the final leap. The final leap to something so absurd, something so completely absurd, that even staring at the bleeding man before him, he felt more than a little silly for even entertaining the idea. 

 

There was a knock on the door to the examining room. From the outside, and the male hunter’s tentative voice came, “Um--Sorry to bother you. Do you need help, or should we…” He trailed off. 

 

Yasha took one last look at the bleeding man, before rushing to the door. He took a deep breath and tried to look overcome. Cracking the door just a bit he said. “I’m so sorry. The wolf is dead.”

 

The man’s eyes widened. He raised a hand to his mouth, “No…” He said weakly. 

 

Biting his lip, Yasha nodded, “I’m so sorry,” he said again. “I’m gonna call animal control, but… you two should probably get out of here, now.” 

 

The man looked back at his female companion. She’d begun to weap again, her head in her hands. He looked back at Yasha as well, almost on the verge of tears as well. “No, no. We can stay, maybe help?”

 

Yasha shook his head, “No, no, no. It’s better if you get out of here.” 

 

The man stared at him, confused. 

 

“Well…” Yasha bit down harder on his lip, trying to figure out exactly why they should get out of here. “It’s illegal to kill wolves.” He said slowly. The man still stared at him confused, “It’s illegal, and well… you two are hunters…” He gestured at the man’s orange vest. “And I know you didn’t kill this wolf, but…”

 

The man’s eyes widened again. “Oh, God.” He looked back at his female friend, who had looked up at the two, “Oh, God, we--we should go.” 

 

Yasha had never seen two grieving people haul ass so quickly before. 

 

He nodded to himself, pretty satisfied with the lie he’d told. He didn’t waste much time feeling satisfied, as the naked man let out another moan again. Yasha was hauling his own ass then. Back to the store room to grab his cell phone. He was already on the line with 9-1-1 by the time he got back to the exam room. 

 

“Hi, I have a twenty-something Caucasian man here, victim of a gunshot wound. Might be buckshot. Caught it in his right side and upper right thigh.” Yasha rattled off. He danced around the man for a moment, mind briefly unable to decipher how to treat a two-legged patient, before he began to apply pressure to the man’s wounds. “Don’t think it hit the femoral artery.” 

 

The woman on the other line began to ask him something, but Yasha cut her off with his street address, “It’s the vet clinic,” he said, “Just tell ‘em to come in the front door. Exam room three.” 

 

Yasha had what seemed like an eternity to mull over what he would tell the paramedics when they arrived. They were surprisingly unfazed entering a veterinary clinic. They were also seemingly unfazed that the man was naked, but to his embarrassment Yasha found himself blurting out that he’d cut the man’s clothing off to get at his wounds anyway. That earned a shrug from the paramedics. 

 

They let him tag along in the ambulance, too. He might specialize in four-legged patients, but Yasha still knew a thing or two about medicine. The paramedics looked half dead on their feet anyway, and probably wouldn’t have stopped Yasha from hopping in the back of the ambulance with them, even if his medical expertise only came from doctor dramas. 

 

Besides, having a vet along, might not be a terrible idea for this particular patient. 

\---

Alex woke to the stinging smell of antiseptic. 

 

He coughed, trying to clear it from his nose and swore. Light was stinging at his closed eyes, and he screwed them shut tighter. With a little groan, he tried to swing an arm over them, to protect his eyes, but aborted the movement when he felt a tug at his arm. Carefully lifting it, he opened an eye, just a crack, to stare at it. He was greeted to the sight of tubes crawling out of the vein at his wrist and a heart monitor clamped around his forefinger. 

 

“Oh, you’re awake!” An unfamiliar voice said. 

 

Alex glanced over to the source of the voice--his head throbbing at the moment--and took a deep sniff, nose filling again with antiseptic, but also with the man’s smell. 

 

It was vaguely familiar. Hazy, like from a dream. 

 

The man cocked his head at him, and uncurled from the seat he was in. “Really, awake this time, I mean,” he said with a smile, “You were in and out of consciousness for a bit,” he gestured slightly with a big hand. “Anesthesia,” he added. 

 

Alex nodded, slowly. He took another deep sniff of the man, trying to figure out where he knew him from. The man was dressed in plain clothes--an oversized hoodie with a college logo on it and rumpled jeans--so he couldn’t be a nurse. He smelled heavily of the antiseptics, but also very much of animals. Under that, cheap soap and axe deodorant, and… yes, and the faint lingering smell of blood. 

 

But that didn’t clear anything up, at all. 

 

He couldn’t recognize the man for the life of him. He was tall and lanky, and probably about his own age. His hair was dark and clean shaven, but he’d begun to grow stubble on his chin and cheeks. Too long to be five o’clock shadow, but not long enough to be a proper beard. His most prominent feature was a large hawkish nose, but his eyes were kind, with deep bags beneath them, and his smile was wide and knowing like he’d just been let in on a secret. 

 

Alex had absolutely no clue who he was. 

 

He shifted up--not liking being on his back, alone in a room with a stranger--, and winced pain erupting through his side and leg. He hissed.

 

The man shot up, but stopped hovering over Alex, “I wouldn’t do that, man,” he said quickly, “You’ve kinda been through the ringer.” 

 

Alex looked up at him, eyes narrowed, “Who the fuck are you?”

 

People were often intimidated by Alex. He wasn’t the friendliest sort and was generously labeled a loner by most. Besides, the MacLuckie clan used to have something of a reputation in town, as recluses who often disappeared into the woods for days to do God knows what. Dangerous types that you didn’t want around your family. As the last living member of the MacLuckie clan, Alex bore the family legacy with something akin to grim pride. 

 

This man just smiled at Alex. Maybe it was hard to be intimidated by a person laid up in a hospital bed with all manner of tubes hanging out of his arms, or maybe he just didn’t know about the MacLuckies, but he only seemed bemused by the question.

 

“Yakov Chomsky--just call me Yasha, though.” He stuck his hands in his pockets. “Just moved here few months back. I work at the  a vet clinic on 1st street.”

 

Oh. 

 

That made some sense. 

 

He grinned down at Alex, “Gonna tell me who the fuck you are?” he asked. His tone changed to something more teasing, “Just kidding, I mean. They figured out who you are here at the hospital. You’re not, like, a missing person or anything.” 

 

Alex looked down. He felt his brow furrow. “Alex MacLuckie,” he said anyway, in answer of the man’s question. “It’s--ah--nice to meet you.”

 

“Nice to meet you, too, Alex,” Yasha said. “I mean--I’d rather have met under better circumstances. A couple of piss-scared hunters dragged your ass into my clinic two-three days ago.”

 

Unable to stop himself, Alex winced, “Yeah, I’m real sorry about that.” He clenched his thin hospital sheets with both hands. “Lemme know what I owe you, man,” he said quickly. “Like damages or loss of income or whatever. I can pay you back.”

 

Yasha waved that off. “Lemme just ask you a question instead.”

 

Alex nodded, noting the slight way Yasha said ‘ax’ instead of ‘ask’. 

 

The man leaned forward, his smile disappearing. Alex felt swear begin to pool his lower back.

 

“Why the hell did that couple drag a big-ass wolf into my office,” he said slowly, “Only for it to turn into your dumb ass?” 

 

Blood was pounding in Alex’s ears. He felt light headed, like he was about to pass out. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said mechanically. It sounded fake even to his ears.

 

A scowl crossed the man’s features, “Really? Cuz the only thing I can’t think of is that your a we—“

 

“Don’t,” Alex cut him off, “Say it.” He chanced a glance up at the man, regretting it instantly, “Please.” 

 

Yasha’s features softened, “So you know?” 

 

It took Alex a moment to answer. Panic still gripped his chest. The wolf was chanting steadily in his head  _ run, run away, run, run away! _ but Alex did his best to ignore it, determined to prove to this man that he wasn’t some wild beast, some kind of  mon— He looked down at his bed-sheets, and saw that his grip on then was turning his knuckles white. 

 

“I better,” he said with forced joviality, “Everyone in my family was like this. Be rude if they didn’t tell me.” 

 

Yasha laughed at the joke, no matter how strained it was, and that broke the tense atmosphere like a spell. “Ok. Ok,” he held up his hands, “I’m really out of my depth about this, so I wasn’t sure if this was some kind of hereditary situation or got bite and now I’m—“ he stopped and bit his lip, probably remembering Alex’s earlier aversion to the word. 

 

“And now I’m a rampaging monster,” Alex finished anyway. 

 

The other man looked away, clearly embarrassed, “I mean, I was on my phone for the past couple of days googling wolf attacks in the area, but I just wanted to check with you—“

 

Alex cut him off again, “It’s a reasonable concern,” he said. He set his jaw, “I try to avoid humans, when I’m… like that.” He jerked his head towards the heart monitor, “Yah know, cuz…” 

 

Yasha nodded.

 

An uncomfortable silence emerged between the two. The only sound being the—rapidly quickening, to Alex’s horror—beeping of Alex’s heart monitor. After a tense moment, both men looked up, beginning to ask a question at the same time. 

 

Yasha held up his hands, “I’m sorry, you go first.” 

 

Alex grimaced, but swallowed down his fear. The beeping quickened, “Are you—who are you going to tell?” 

 

The other man laughed again. Not a very humorous laugh either. Alex felt his heart pound in his chest. Yasha scratched the back of his head. “Well, ah,” he started off slowly. Alex wanted to shake the words out of him. “No one, probably? I don’t really wanna take a vacation to a padded room, yah know?” He looked apologetic, “There, ah, aren’t any security cameras at the clinic, so…” He trailed off. 

 

“Oh,” Alex looked down.

 

“Besides…” Yasha began slowly again. He laughed nervously, “I miiight have already lied a little bit to the police?” Alex looked back at him and watched him shrug, “Like I said, I really, really don’t wanna get institutionalized,” he said, “I have a lot of student loans.” 

 

Alex looked down again. He felt his brow crinkle, “Thanks,” he said, mulling the word over. “I… I guess you didn’t have a lot of choice, but thank you anyway.” He swallowed painfully, “You really went out on a limb for me, and… I really appreciate that.” 

 

For as painful as it was for Alex to get out Yasha waved it off just as easily, “No problem, man.” His easy smile returned, “I just gotta warn you though. I’m pretty sure that the police think you were like selling drugs or something out in the woods.” 

 

“Pft,” Alex waved it off, “Wouldn’t be the first time.” 

 

Yasha laughed, “You gotta admit, there aren’t a lot of good reasons to be wandering the woods during hunting season.” 

 

Alex shrugged, feeling his heartbeat finally starting to slow, “Huntin’s good.” 

 

The other man laughed again, wrinkles crinkling in the corner of his eyes. 

 

The heart monitor picked up again. Alex looked down and gestured with his hand, making small circles, “Um, so you were saying something… before?” 

 

“Oh!” Yasha’s laughter stopped. An embarrassed smile tugged at his lips, “Ah-a,” he scratched the back of his head, “I was just gonna ask if you could pick when you turn into a wolf, or if it was a full moon thing.” 

 

He looked so embarrassed, that Alex couldn’t help but laugh. “I can pick.”

 

Yasha’s embarrassed smile transformed into a face splitting grin. With reverence, he said, “That is awesome.” 

***

In the following weeks, Yasha learned a lot about Alex. 

 

For one, he healed surprisingly quickly, and was up and about the following day after awakening. It had the doctor’s scratching their heads and then keeping him till weeks end anyway, but the man seemed no worse for wear.

 

Yasha also learned that he worked as a carpenter and did a bit of woodworking on the side. He learned this when Alex’s boss came storming into his hospital room, demanding to know what had happened. They wound up spending an hour arguing over whether or not Alex should take the next few weeks off to recuperate. 

 

Alex lost that fight, but somehow Yasha figured he would go into the shop anyway. 

 

Alex also lost the fight on whether or not he should pay Yasha back. However, once was released from the hospital, Yasha had to ward off checks and cash every time he saw the man. Eventually, Alex stopped, and the clinic received an anonymous donation of a very specific amount. Yasha figured it would be ok, if it was for the animals. Alex blushed a deep crimson when Yasha told him about his mysterious, totally anonymous benefactor. 

 

He learned small things about Alex, as well. How he took his coffee, his favorite dinner—and his usual order. He also learned that Alex wasn’t so keen on having someone keeping an eye on him, but for all his blustering, he never exactly made him leave either. 

 

Yasha figured that was just how he was. 

 

The next full moon came and went. No reports of wolf sightings or attacks came. Yasha felt himself relax. It seemed his new friend was just as he seemed; a quiet man who occasionally had to venture into the woods, sometimes during hunting season. 

 

They drank beer on Alex’s back porch shivering in the cold and listened to the woods—and the faint sounds of gunshots in the distance. Alex learned Yasha had never been fishing before, and resolved to take him—once the season opened. The two sunk into an easy companionship—a comforting routine. 

 

For how bizarre their first meeting was, it was kind of nice. 

 

Yasha could get used to this kind of existence.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yasha learns something about Alex and celebrates his birthday, while Alex must face down his worst opponent yet; chocolate cake.
> 
> This chapter contains vomiting--along with a hefty dose of comfort.

Before he actually pulled the trigger, Yasha couldn’t help but do one last bit of recon.

 

One of his new acquaintances from the game shop looked to be about Alex’s age and was a native of the town. When they were alone, while they were busily setting up a board game, he asked her about it. 

 

“Alex MacLuckie?” Sarah repeated, setting down the piece she was holding. She brushed a strand on blonde hair behind her ear and readjusted her glasses--as if to buy herself some time. “The guy who got shot in the woods?”

 

Yasha nodded. 

 

“Yeah, I mean, I knew him in high school,” she picked the piece up again and fiddled with it, “He was a year behind me, but I didn't really know him.”  She shrugged and picked up a different piece, “He was pretty quiet, I guess. Why do you ask?”

 

Very casually, Yasha said, “Oh, I was the guy who brought him to the hospital.” 

 

Sarah dropped the figurines she was holding, “No,” she breathed. 

 

Yasha nodded. 

 

“No!” She said again. She grabbed the instruction manual and slapped him with it, “NO! You were holding out on me!” 

 

Shrugging, Yasha replied. “Sorry, things have been a little crazy.” 

 

She smacked him again, playfully, “Spill!” 

 

He shrugged once again, “Not much to spill. Found him bleeding outside my clinic and I called 911.” He picked up the pieces Sarah dropped and put them with their matches, “Just curious about the guy. He’s real quiet, like you said.” 

 

She froze, “You’re hanging out with him?” 

 

“Yeah.”  Yasha looked up at her, “Why?”

 

Rather than answering right away, Sarah sat down. She picked up one of the figurines that Yasha had laid out again, “I dunno,” she said finally. “I guess back in high school, my parents always told me not to hang around him. I guess, his family was involved in some shady shit. I don’t really know.” She shrugged and turned it over in her hand, studying the piece of plastic intensely, “He wasn’t so bad, I guess. Got into fights and stuff, but I don’t think he was a bad kid, just his family,” She shrugged again, “And…”

 

“And what?” 

 

Sarah rolled her eyes, “I mean, it’s really, really stupid and you’re going to make fun of me, but…” She paused and bit her lip, “My grandma always said to watch out for the MacLuckies, because she is, like, absolutely, one hundred percent convinced that they’re, like, witches or something.” She gestured vaguely in the air, “And like, they sacrifice goats or cats or whatever to Satan out in the woods.” 

 

She was right, that did get a laugh out of Yasha.

 

Blushing, she looked away, “See! It’s stupid! But I guess there are just a lot of rumors about them.” 

 

Behind them, the door to the game shop jingled. Another patron of the shop, who Yasha only knew by the moniker of ‘Vegan Steve’ walked in. He looked up at the two, unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. “Rumors about who?” he asked, slightly suspiciously. 

 

Now that someone else was here, Sarah seemed a little more bashful about talking about it. “Alex MacLuckie,” she said. 

 

Vegan Steve pulled up a chair and pulled the game board towards himself. “Oh yeah. Weird guy.” He looked up at Yasha. “You know his uncle Charlie up and killed like… his whole family.” 

 

Yasha froze. He hadn’t know that. Hesitantly, he shook his head. 

 

“Yeah,” Vegan Steve smiled conspiratorially, “It happened when I was, like, a senior in high school. Real big thing. His uncle up and, like, killed his mom and aunt and, like, grandpa and some shit.”

 

It felt as though Yasha was learning some forbidden knowledge. He shouldn’t be hearing this, not from a guy named Vegan Steve in some dingy game shop over a board game. This was something he should be hearing from Alex, himself. Somehow, he couldn’t help himself from nodding along. 

 

“Real fucked up stuff,” Vegan Steve said, leaning in close almost like he was telling a ghost story, “Boarded up the whole house and burned the bodies.” 

 

“Stop it!” Sarah said, angrily. 

 

Vegan Steve glared up at her, “What? It’s true! I was in the papers and everything.” He looked back at Yasha, “He’s on the lam from the feds now, too. Still out there.” He wiggled his fingers at Yasha. 

 

“Steve!”

 

He ignored her, “I remember the police called Alex in, too for questioning and stuff. Never proved anything, but it’s pretty weird that his uncle would up and kill everyone ‘cept him, doncha think?”

 

Yasha shrugged noncommittally. 

 

More people began to fill into the game shop, ready for Board Games Thursday. Vegan Steve turned in his chair to greet another patron. Sarah looked at him apologetically and mouthed ‘Sorry.’ Yasha waved it off with a hand, but couldn’t shake off the feeling of doom and guilt that had settled in his belly. 

 

That settled it anyway. He was gonna bit the bullet and invite Alex to his birthday party. 

***

Alex hadn’t expected much when Yasha told him that some of his friends were coming down from New York for his birthday. It was Yasha’s first birthday away from the city, and his birthday fell on the weekend this year, so it made sense that they would come down to visit him, even if it was almost a two hour drive. 

 

He hadn’t expected to be invited along. 

 

“I want my friends to meet you!” Yasha said simply, “Don’t worry, no Wolf talk!” he grinned. 

 

That had thrown him for a loop, for a long time. After all, even if it was a major inconvenience at best, 'Wolf-talk', as Yasha called it, was easily the most interesting thing about him. Was he supposed to keep them riveted with the intricacies of putting up drywall? 

 

He asked Yasha that, but only got laughter as a response. 

 

According to Yasha, it would be a small affair, just a couple of people coming down. Dinner, maybe board games. They’d probably stay overnight at a hotel, just because the drive was a pain. Two, of course, rapidly turned to three, and then four. Alex could feel his stress levels rising. 

 

Still, he dutifully transformed a few days ahead of time--this time sticking to the safety of his house--even despite the fact that he’d just been forced to do so to disastrous results, just to make sure that his body wouldn’t betray him on the day they came down. Yasha seemed so excited about it and he wasn’t going to ruin it. 

 

Didn’t stop him from stress eating, until they arrived. 

 

Yasha excitedly introduced him to all his friends. Alex had a hard time keeping up. Still, he keep on his best behavior. Talked to everyone. Smiled. Refrained from ranting about drywalling. 

 

Frankly, it was exhausting. 

 

He was pretty thankful when dinner was over. 

 

Unfortunately, because it’d been so long since he’d seen his friends in person, it also meant that Alex hadn’t gotten a moment with Yasha alone. 

 

“Can we go back to your apartment?” One of Yasha’s friends, who Alex was pretty sure was named Tovah asked. She gave him a devilish smile, “I have a surprise for you.” 

 

Alex held back a grimace. He’d been hoping he could get Yasha alone after dinner. Very politely, they invited him back, as well. Trying to appear more confident than he was, Alex nodded. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Yasha’s friends after all. Besides, he hadn’t driven over two hours today, he could easily outlast them and get some alone time with Yasha once they went to their motel. 

 

Tovah’s surprise involved stopping back at the motel room. She and another one of Yasha’s friends went back for it, while the rest went to Yasha’s apartment. He excitedly gave the grand tour to his friends, and Alex. 

 

Alex had never gotten the grand tour before. There wasn’t much to tour anyway, and usually they hung out in Alex’s living room where his dusty old t.v. and ps4 were set up. Alex had made trips to the bathroom before, but that was largely it. He’d never been in Yasha’s bedroom before. It was small, and looked like it had been recently--and hastily--cleaned, like the rest of his home. The same kinds of nerdy posters and pictures that adorned the rest of Yasha’s walls were on the walls of his bedroom. 

 

But also a large flag, pinned, somewhat lopsidedly on the wall. It had three stripes, the top pink, the middle purple and the bottom blue. Alex stared at it for a long time, while Yasha joked with his friends, until he heard the rest of the party returned. 

 

He was the first to do so, and cocked his head discreetly to the door--before they even knocked--just to check for scents. He recognized the smell of the two women’s perfume and...Alex’s eyes widened. 

 

Oh, fuck him. 

 

He prayed his nose was just off, but once the women had entered the apartment proper, there was no denying it. In Tovah’s hands was the largest chocolate cake he had ever seen in his life. Alex felt himself begin to sweat just looking at it. 

 

Yasha was almost squealing with delight when he saw it. “This is the best cake,” he said excitedly, almost hanging off Alex’s arm, “The  _ best _ cake, Alex.”

 

“Uh-huh,” Alex said, woodenly. 

 

Tovah smiled sweetly at him, “Double chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and chocolate ganache!” 

 

“Uh-huh,” Alex said, woodenly. 

 

Yasha practically dragged him into the kitchen. He stood stiff as a board, as he watched Tovah tied her thick curls up into a ponytail and then cut large pieces for everyone. She held out a thick slab to Alex. He stared down at it, and physically forced himself to take it with a smile and a thank you.  

 

Next to him, Yasha was already eating, moaning almost orgasmically. “The best cake,” he whispered to Alex, tears almost welling in his eyes. 

 

Alex bit his lip and stared down at his fork. Ordinarily, he had a very strong stomach. With all the stuff he got up to, he better have had a pretty strong stomach, but even just looking at chocolatey monstrosity of nature before him was making him queasy. Still, he glanced up at Tovah. She was still smiling so sweetly at him. 

 

He picked up a fork and took a hesitant bite. 

 

It was really good cake, he guessed, if you could stomach chocolate. Very dense and moist. And ridiculously chocolatey. The texture was good too, spongy cake interspersed with bursts of chocolate pieces. Double layered too, with rich, gooey ganache holding them together. Mechanically, he chewed and swallowed. He could almost feel it hit his stomach. 

 

“What do you think?” Tovah asked. 

 

Next to him, Yasha was practically doing a happy dance. 

 

Alex nodded, “It’s really good,” he said. He hefted the plate up, “Really good, but, ah, alot.” 

 

She patted his arm, “You’re a big guy,” she said with a wiry grin. “You can cut loose a bit.” 

 

Yasha stopped his dancing, “Stop trying to fatten up my friends, Tovah.” 

 

“You look pretty happy over there,” Tovah said, poking at him. 

 

That turned into a poke war. 

 

Alex returned to mechanically eating his cake. His mother had always told him never to waste the food he was given. It was rude. He didn’t know if she’d make an exception for double chocolate cake. Still, he was determined to make a good impression. 

 

The cake was starting to feel like wet cement in his mouth. He already feel when he had eaten churning in his stomach. He bit his lip, so far he’d only gotten about halfway through the cake--the small half, too. A small burp forced its way up his throat, but he held it back, feeling embarrassed anyway.  _ Fuck it,  _ he thought, and forked himself a large piece of cake. He shoved it in his mouth. 

 

One of Yasha’s friends noticed this, “Tovah’s a good baker, huh?”

 

He nodded with a mouth full of cake. 

 

Alex managed to finish all of the cake by the time Yasha’s friends were wrapping up. He left the icing, not sure if he could stomach it or the layer of mini-chocolate chips decorating the top, but then again so did one of Yasha’s friends so he figured that would be ok. His stomach felt like it was twisting around itself. He prayed his stomach wouldn’t audibly churn while he gave Tovah a good-bye hug. 

 

“Can I talk to you, then?” he whispered to Alex. It would only be five minutes, he told himself. Five minutes, at the most, and then he could crawl off somewhere and take care of his belly ache. 

 

Yasha nodded, “Yeah, lemme walk them out, first.” 

 

He watched at they filed out. When the door shut, he sunk down into one of Yasha’s oversized armchair. He groaned and leaned over, elbows on his knees and pressed his forehead to his palm. This was a terrible idea. His stomach felt terrible, like he was about to vomit at any minute. The wolf rose up, very briefly, almost as if to shake his head at him. He growled, reflexively, at himself. 

 

Alex didn’t even hear Yasha come up the steps. He swung the door open, jovially, and then stopped when he caught sight of Alex. 

 

“Are you ok? You look uncomfortable,” he said and then stopped himself, “I mean, more so than usual.” 

 

“Uh-huh,” Alex said. He felt his stomach gurgle, and prayed that Yasha didn’t hear it. 

 

Yasha’s eyes darted from Alex to the paper plate debris on the counter. His eyes slide back to Alex, “Alex,” he said slowly, “Please tell me you can eat chocolate.” 

 

“Uh-huh,” Alex said. Suddenly, he felt his mouth start to water. He clamped a hand over his mouth and shot up. He crossed the apartment in what seemed like four steps, and was on his knees in the bathroom gagging into the toilet. 

 

On his heels, was Yasha, “Shit!” he swore. Alex could feel him hover over him. After a moment, he crouched down next to Alex and put a palm on Alex’s back, “Can I get you anything?” he whispered. 

 

Alex swallowed, “N-no.” He swallowed again, and wrapped an arm around his middle, like that would be enough to keep it’s contents down. “No.” 

 

Tutting slightly, Yasha patted him on the back. A shutter went through Alex’s body, and Yasha recoiled slightly. After a moment, with nothing coming up, Yasha placed his hand back on Alex’s back, gently rubbing it in small circles. 

 

He gagged again, but nothing came up, despite his stomach churning noisily. Alex panted into the toilet, feeling too hot, but clammy at the same time. Half of him wished he would just vomit and get it over with, the other half wanted desperately to melt into the floor. Unable to hold it back, he burped wetly. “S-sorry,” he mumbled. 

 

“It’s fine,” Yasha said. His hand drifting up to give Alex’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, “You’re ok.” 

 

“You don’t need--ngh--stay.” 

 

Yasha blew hair out of his mouth. “Al, I’m not gonna just like go watch tv or something while you’re barfing in my bathroom.” 

 

Alex winced, “Haven’t-urp-barfed yet.” 

 

Still rubbing Alex’s back, Yasha chuckled softly. “Ok, man.” He gave Alex a pat. He laughed when Alex burped again. 

 

He groaned softly, and rested his head on the rim of the toilet. “Thanks,” he muttered, “Even though it’s your birthday...”

 

“Not the worst birthday, I’ve had,” Yasha replied. “Sorry, I accidentally fed you chocolate.” 

 

Alex shrugged. “S’ok.” 

 

“You could have just said you were intolerant to chocolate. Tovah would have understood.”

 

He burped again, “Would have been weird...?” he said hesitantly.

 

After a pause, Yasha said, “You know, non-shapeshifting people can have chocolate intolerance, too, right, Alex?” 

 

Alex groaned, loudly. 

 

That got Yasha laughing again. “Gonna take that as a no, buddy.” He scooched a little closer to Alex, “Tell you what: next time, I’ll eat your piece, for you, ok?”

 

“Hold you to it,” Alex groaned. He felt himself gagged again, and with difficulty re-positioned himself so he could dry heave into the toilet. After a long moment of heaving, without bringing anything up, he spat weakly into the toilet. 

 

Yasha was silent for a long moment. After a while he said, “My friends liked you.” 

 

Alex nodded. It was more pleasant to listen to Yasha than the sounds his stomach was making. 

 

“Tovah thinks your cute,” he whispered to Alex conspiratorially. 

 

“ ‘m not very cute right now,” Alex muttered. 

 

Laughing, Yasha said, “Oh hush,” he patted Alex’s back again, and said absently, “I’ll never hear the end of ‘sexy carpenter’ jokes, now.” 

 

Alex didn’t have time to respond to that. His stomach lurch painfully upwards, and he felt bile hit the back of his face. He almost missed the toilet, but somehow manage to vomit messily into the bowl. 

 

“Whoop!” Yasha said. “There it goes!” He put his other hand on Alex’s shoulder giving it a squeeze. The other had returned to making small circles on the small of his back. 

 

Choking, Alex spat out the last of the vomit in his mouth. He shuttered and moaned softly.

 

“Feel better?” Yasha asked softly, tenderly almost.

 

Alex shook his head as his stomach lurch again. He rocked forward, burping up more vomit. He groaned and expelled the last of bit of dinner from the pit of his stomach. After one last dry heave, he rocked back away from the toilet, panting. 

 

Yasha leaned forward to flush the toilet, “God,” he peered around Alex’s shoulder to look him in the eye, “No more chocolate for you.” 

 

Still unable to answer, Alex just wiped a string on saliva and bile from his chin.

 

With a wiry grin, Yasha threw him a roll of toilet paper, and stood to get him a glass of water.

 

Alex accepted it gratefully, using half of it to wash out his burning mouth, and sipping carefully on the rest. 

 

Still grinning, Yasha held out a hand towards him. “Alright. Keys.” Alex looked up at him confused. “You aren’t driving home, like this. Doctor’s orders.” 

 

“You’re a vet,” Alex said, simply.

 

Yasha rolled his eyes, “Still a doctor, Alex. Now gimme.” 

 

“I feel better, now,” Alex grunted. That was a lie. He didn’t feel the need to vomit anymore, but he still felt vaguely nauseous. His stomach still felt crampy, like there was a deep angry pit in his stomach from having expelled it’s contents so quickly. He handed his keys over anyway. 

 

“Good boy,” Yasha said.

 

Alex perked up, suddenly remembering why he wanted to stay at Yasha’s apartment, rather than crawling into a hole and dying. Excitement momentary override the feeling of empty aching. He stood up, taking a moment to steady his quivering thighs. “C’mon,” he said motioning for Yasha to follow him, “I have something for you.” 

 

Yasha’s eyes lit up. “Birthday present?” he asked, hopefully.

 

Saying nothing, Alex just motioned for him to follow him out of the bathroom. He lead Yasha over to where he’d thrown his jacket. Reaching into the pocket, he pulled out a small wooden box, and tossed it to Yasha. He fumbled with it for a moment in the air, before turning it around in his hands to stare at it. 

 

“It’s a dice chest,” Alex explained, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, despite the fact that he had just vomited profusely in front of Yasha not half a minute ago. He looked away, feeling a blush creep onto his cheeks. “Heard you saying you wanted one…” 

 

Astounded, Yasha opened the box and studied the bare inside. Then his head shot up to Alex. “Did you  _ make _ this?” he asked.

 

Alex shrugged, face feeling hot. He scratched the back of his head. “Yeah? No big deal. We had some scrap wood at the shop, so I just fitted it together and lacquered it up…” he shrugged and looked up to see Yasha staring at him, long arms stretched wide.

 

“Best present,” he said. 

 

Shrugging meekly, Alex let him hug him. Yasha pressed tight against him, long arms wrapping around Alex. His free hand grasped at Alex’s flannel shirt;opposite arm pressing hard against his back. The pressure felt nice to Alex, grounding. Despite being a few inches taller than Alex, he rested his chin on Alex’s shoulder. 

 

“Thank you, for real,” he muttered. “Almost death by chocolate-ing you aside, this birthday has been awesome.” 

 

“Didn’t really do much,” Alex mumbled back, “Aside from puking, a bunch.” Very gingerly, he arranged his own arms around Yasha. 

 

Yasha tutted, patting Alex’s shoulder. “That was only like...one percent of tonight.” He looked up towards the ceiling, with an expression on his face that Alex could only describe as ‘supreme doneness with himself’, “And also I probably should have thought about that, I’m a vet.” He stared at Alex, “I’m a vet, Alex.”

 

Alex shifted nervously, not knowing how to respond. Reassure him that he couldn’t have possibly known? Crack a joke about him failing Shapeshifter Biology 101? Admit that he was a grown-up who should know better, but just wanted to make a good impression tonight? 

 

Definitely, not that one. 

 

He was saved from answering by Yasha, “Alright,” he said, breaking the hug. Alex let his arms drift to his sides, already missing the pressure, “Get to bed,” he continued with a playful whack to Alex’s shoulder. He jerked a thumb to his bedroom, “No arguing from you ‘bout taking the bed. Birthday boy’s orders.”

 

Trying not to sulk, Alex allowed himself to be led to Yasha’s bedroom.

 

“I suppose you can’t have tea, either,” Yasha mused.

 

Alex shrugged. He’d never actually tried tea, so he really didn’t know how his body would react to it. He couldn’t remember anyone in his family ever drinking it either. Still, if Yasha thought he might not be able to stomach it, he’d trust him. Tonight wasn’t the night for experimentation. 

 

He pushed Alex down on the bed, and disappeared momentarily, returning with another glass of water, a small cupful of pepto-bismol and some saltine crackers.  “Here,” he said. Alex up at at him dubiously, “I can get you some melatonin gummies, too, if you can’t get to sleep.” 

 

He stared very expectantly at Alex and watching him take the medicine and the water. Alex watched him expectantly as well. 

 

“The guys want to go to the game shop tomorrow,” Yasha said, “If you feel better.”

 

Alex nodded. 

 

“Night.” 

 

“Night,” Alex murmured back. He watched as Yasha backed out slowly from the room. Yasha stopped at the doorway, still staring at Alex, before turning and walking down the hall. There was some fumbling out in the hallway, and then the light flickered off. 

 

Alex set his class of water down on Yasha’s nightstand. With his toes, he peeled off his socks. After a moment of indecision, he unbuttoned his flannel shirt as well, deciding that it’d be better to sleep in his undershirt. Carefully, he hung it up on the bedpost. Then he crawled on top of the bed curling up. He sighed and wrapped his arms around his middle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cake featured in this chapter was actually something I used to make for my friends. I liked it about as much as Alex did--though fortunately, I don't have cocoa intolerance like him. It wasn't clearly spelled out in this chapter, but while Alex does have a sensitivity to cocoa products (and tea unfortunately :c ) similar to how a canine would, it's not exactly as severe-meaning it won't actually cause seizure or death (though he is a lot bigger than most canines, so he'd probably have to eat a lot of chocolate). So, he's not in any actual danger here, other than getting a bad tummyache. 
> 
> As a side note, one of my friends dogs did actually eat almost half of one of those cakes, and he was actually fine (so, maybe some of this was also psychological on Alex's part, but shapeshifting shenanigans gotta happen, so...)
> 
> (Also, my apologizes for all the new characters here. I have a tendency of loving to make side characters.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an excuse for some good ol' belly rubs.

 

Yasha and Alex sat next to each other on the former’s stoop. It was windy day, and neither particularly wanted to be seated outside of Yasha’s apartment bundled up in winter attire, but there they sat. At some point, Yasha had leaned forward, elbow on knee, and chin in the palm of his hand, his brow curled in frustration. Alex watched him from the corner of his eye, his own elbows resting on his knees. 

 

“I don’t think he’s coming,” he said after a good, long while. 

 

Yasha sprang to his feet kicking the ground, his foot flailing wildly. “Motherfucker!” he yelled, loud enough to startle a lady and her dog who were passing by in the sidewalk. “Fucking Vegan Steve.”

 

Alex stared up at him incredulously. 

 

Earlier, he’d asked Alex to help him move some things out of storage with promises of pizza as a reward. This ‘Vegan Steve’ had also been recruited.

 

In the end, it hadn’t mattered much. After an hour of sitting around for him to show up, Alex had gotten sick of waiting and ended up doing most of the work himself—with Yasha’s help, of course. It really wasn’t a three person job, at all—and Alex privately had some doubts about a guy nicknamed ‘Vegan’ Steve’s ability to help with heavy boxes. 

 

“Is pizza even vegan?” Alex asked dully as he watched his friend kick a bush.

 

“I mean, yeah,” Yasha said, furiously digging in his pocket for his phone, “If you take off the cheese.” 

 

Alex pulled a face.

 

Yasha was too busy scrolling through his messages to notice, “He said he was leaving, like, ten minutes ago!” Alex decided not to mention that he’d also been getting ready three hours ago, showering two and a half hours ago, mysteriously out of communication one hour ago, and had been ten minutes away for the last half and hour. 

 

A beat-up four door slowly turned into the parking lot and lazily rolled up to the pair. Yasha perked up—perhaps hoping it was Steve—but  Alex already smelled pizza. Sure enough, a greasy looking teenager popped out bearing pizza boxes. He seemed nonplussed by Yasha. 

 

Yasha paid him while Alex watched the exchange. Once completed, Yasha spun around pizza boxes in hand, “Alright!” he said, suddenly jubilant, “Fuck Vegan Steve, we’re eating these by ourselves!” He jumped up the steps, smacking Alex with the side of his shoe when he didn’t get up fast enough. 

 

Alex stood and followed him. He threw one last look over his shoulder when he heard the teen chuckle, and saw him furiously texting. Alex looked away, trying hard to cast off the feeling that he and Yasha had just become an amusing story for the teen’s friends. It followed him up to Yasha’s apartment. 

 

He left the door open for Alex, darting around boxes to get to his kitchen counter. Alex shut the door behind him and locked it. He unzipped his outer jacket and gently laid it over one of the boxes he’d stacked against the wall. Summer clothes, the boxes said. 

 

“What do you want?” Yasha asked from the kitchen, “Got plain, pepperoni, and peppers and onions.” 

 

Alex considered it for a moment. “Plain, I guess,” he said. 

 

Yasha held out a paper plate with a pair of slices on them. “A man of taste,” he said when Alex took the plate. 

 

He shrugged, slightly. 

 

“It’s a classic,” Yasha added holding up his own slice. He turned to his fridge. “Lemme guess, you want beer?”

 

Alex nodded before he could stop himself, “Yeah.” 

 

Yasha chomped down on his slice and grabbed a can of beer and a coke for himself. He crossed the room and flopped down on his couch, holding out the can for Alex. “S’not bad,” he said finally taking his bite. 

 

Nodding, Alex opened the can and took a swig, eager to have something to drink. 

 

“Not as good as Brooklyn, though.” Yasha must have caught Alex rolling his eyes at that. “It’s true, Brooklyn has the best pizza,” he said around another bite, “It’s in the water.” 

 

Alex gave him another incredulous look. 

 

“Makes better bread.” Yasha explained. “And bread is a key ingredient of a good pizza.” 

 

Alex shrugged again, and arranged himself a spot on the floor, while Yasha continued to speak.

 

“There’s the crust, sauce, cheese,” Yasha ticked them off on his fingers, “And mouthfeel.”

 

Looking up with a frown, Alex asked, “What the hell is ‘mouthfeel’?”

 

Yasha laughed, and Alex got the distinct feeling he’d directed the conversation this way on purpose, perhaps just to hear him say ‘mouthfeel’, “What does it sound like? It’s how it feels in your mouth.”

 

Scoffing, Alex said, “Texture. That’s called texture.” He turned back to his own pizza, finally taking a bite. It was hot, but not enough to burn his mouth on molten cheese. The cheese was still half melted though, and connected his bite in thick strands to his slice. Despite what Yasha said, the crust was good, as well. Slightly doughy, but crisp at the bottom. And the sauce was rich, a little tangy, a little spicy, and just a little bit sweet. Just the way he liked it. Alex couldn’t help but take a big whiff, just to smell all the basil and oregano. 

 

“No-no-no-no,” Yasha said. He’d finished his slice and had gone back to the kitchen, opting just to being the whole box back with him. “Mouthfeel is more than just texture.” He gestured with the box, “It’s like…” He stood there for a moment, gesturing with the pizza box, “I can’t explain it. It’s hard to explain.”

 

“Hm.” Alex took a sip of beer. The cold beer was even better after a bite of hot pizza. As nonchalantly as he could muster, he added, “You know there’s a place around here that puts American cheese on their pizza?” 

 

Yasha’s face became deathly serious. He pointed angrily at Alex. “That’s disgusting and I know you only told me this to make me mad, you bastard.” 

 

Alex shrugged. “I’ve had it a couple of times. It’s not bad.” 

 

Flopping down on the couch, Yasha groaned, “Stop. We can’t be friends if you keep saying shit like that.” He opened the box and ripped himself a piece off. “So, is it like… sliced American cheese?”

 

“Yup.” Alex watched as Yasha physically gagged. 

 

They blew through the first box of pizza pretty quickly after that. Yasha dug out an old action movie and they passed the time munching on steadily cooling pizza and laughing at the cheesy special effects. 

 

It was nice. Yasha’s apartment smelled a bit like cheese and dust, but it was nice. He could still smell the heavy scent of animals and Yasha’s smell under it. It was comforting in a way. Familiar, Alex would say. Like his own house or the woodworking shop.

 

He finished out his beer, and grabbed a coke from the fridge just to pace himself—not that he really needed to, but he was already feeling warm and heavy from all the pizza. 

 

Yasha cracked open the onion and pepper box, and Alex couldn’t help but take another slice. 

 

Settling down on the floor again, Alex glanced up at Yasha. He was absently chewing, while watching his movie. 

 

“Hey, ah,” Alex looked down and tried to keep his tone casual. “You never told me why you moved down here, anyway?”

 

Yasha blinked and looked down at him, “Hm?”

 

“Out of the city, I mean,” Alex felt himself blush. “What made you wanna come out here? Is like the asscrack of nowhere.” 

 

With a groan, Yasha said, “It’s a long story.” He rested his head on the back of the couch and was silent for a long moment. He glanced back at Alex, surprised to see him still looking at him.

 

Alex looked down, embarrassed, keenly aware that he’d been staring expectantly. 

 

“I guess, the long and the short of it was for a girl,” Yasha said, voice oddly serious. “It… well obviously didn’t work out, but I already had a job lined up here and the place, so…” he paused, “Guess I figured I’d try it out. Least until the lease ran out.” The last bit was said with his usual light joviality, but Alex couldn’t tell if it was forced or not.

 

He spun his coke in his hands, “Ah,” he said, “That sucks. I’m, ah, really sorry.”

 

Yasha shrugged and starting in on his pizza. “Wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “It’s fine. My mom never liked her anyway.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “‘Sides, you’re pretty cool.” 

 

Not knowing how to respond to that, Alex said nothing.

 

“And I’ve met a lot of cool people, and I like my job, and also there’s Wolf Stuff, so I figure it evens out—except for fucking Vegan Steve.” 

 

Alex nodded, “That’s… good.”

 

There was silence for a moment, before Yasha started up again. “Anyway, what about you?”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yeah.” Noticing Alex had finished his slice, Yasha handed him another, “You got anyone special?”

 

Feeling self-conscious again, Alex wolfed down his slice. “Naw,” he said quietly, “Not the right time for that.”

 

Yasha hummed and studied him for a moment. “Well, if it ever is the right time, hit me up. I know lots of desperate nerds. They’d treat you right.” For a moment, Alex thought he was going to continue along that line of conversation, but Yasha just asked if he wanted another slice. 

 

Alex nodded. 

***

At some point, Alex had migrated up onto the couch. Their movie had ended, and Yasha had put something else on. Alex wasn’t following it too closely. 

 

They’d finished the second box of pizza, as well. 

 

Sleepily, Yasha muttered. “You should go eat the pepperoni.” 

 

Alex shook his head.

 

“C’mon we can’t leave any for Steve,” Yasha chided, “You promised.”

 

“I did not,” Alex grumbled, deciding not to point out that ‘Vegan’ Steve probably wouldn’t be interested in pepperoni pizza, “You go do it.” 

 

Yasha pointed to his face, “Jew.”

 

Argument lost, Alex heaved himself up grumbling. That earned a chuckle out of Yasha. Once he got to the kitchen, he discreetly let his belt out a notch with a tiny sigh. That eased some of the pressure off his stuffed belly. Ignoring the instinct to just shove a slice into his mouth right then and there, Alex picked up the box and made his way back to the couch. He set the box down on top of the emptied others and surveyed its contents again.

 

A distinctly Wolf-like voice told him that left-overs were never as good the next day. 

 

He ignored it, but started in on a slice anyway. 

 

Next to him, Yasha sleepily murmured, “My hero.” 

 

Alex only managed to get half-way through his slice before his stomach audibly gurgled. With a yawn, Yasha reached over and patted Alex’s rounded belly. Alex felt himself blush. 

 

“That’s fine,” he yawned again, “Take it home.” He settled back into the couch, and chuckled mischievously, “Or maybe I’ll give it to Steve.” 

 

He glanced down at the slice in his hand, contemplating it. Even with all the grease and cheese rolling around in his belly, finishing that slice was tempting. 

 

Instincts won out. In a couple of quick bites, he swallowed up the piece, and settled back feeling oddly satisfied.

 

Yasha laughed at him.

 

Alex winced as his stomach let out another painful gurgle. “‘m full,” he said. Gently, he rested a hand on top the swell of his stomach. 

 

“I can tell,” Yasha said, playfully trying to poke Alex’s belly. Alex swatted his hand away, easily. With a sigh, he added, “Yeah, me, too. Does that mean Operation: ‘Fuck Vegan Steve’ was a success or failure?” 

 

Squirming and trying to get comfortable, Alex said, “Failure.” After a moment, he moved the pizza boxes off the makeshift end table, and kicked his feet up onto the box. He leaned back and stretched out, belly poking out noticeably. 

 

A look of genuine contriteness over took Yasha’s face. “Sorry.” He leaned over and patted Alex’s bloated belly again, his hand lingering this time. 

 

Alex felt an air bubble move within his gut. Turning his head, he burped into the back of his hand. 

 

Yasha let out a little, half laugh, half snort. He sunk back into the couch, hand still resting on Alex’s belly. 

 

It was nice. A little painful and definitely embarrassing, but it was cozy. 

 

Idly, Yasha’s thumb began to rub small circles into Alex’s belly. Unable to help himself, Alex sighed contentedly. 

 

“Is it bad that I knew Vegan Steve wasn’t gonna come?” Yasha asked, eyes closed. His own hand had drifted up to his belly and began to massage it—but with much more pressure than he was giving Alex.

 

“What D'you mean?” 

 

Yasha sighed and opened his eyes. His thumb stopped rubbing Alex’s belly. Alex was caught between wanting to ask him to continue and the knowledge that he would literally die of embarrassment if he did so. “I mean,” he started slowly, “When I asked him, I  _ knew _ he was gonna flake out on helping me, but I still did it anyway,” he added with a grumble, “I figured he’d at least show up after for food.” 

 

Dread creeped into Alex’s belly, making it churn for a new reason. Did he not show up because he knew Alex would be there? Frantically, his mind started running through the list of people he’d fought back in high school. There were no  _ Vegan _ Steve’s on the list, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility that someone might have converted after high school.

 

_ No,  _ Alex thought, forcing himself to take a deep breathe. No, that was ridiculous. His family had a reputation, but it had been years since he’d gotten into a fight—he specifically avoided places in town where fights might break out for that reason. He’d been nothing but a law-abiding citizen for the last six years—and he was the last MacLuckie on the East Coast. Aside from being injured recently—which was easily explained as he lived near the woods anyway—he’d been keeping his head down. People were intimidated, they weren’t  _ frightened.  _ Not anymore. 

 

While Alex’s head was working at lightning speed, his stomach made itself known. It let out a low whine, struggling to shift around the food in Alex’s belly.

 

With a laugh, Yasha said seemingly addressing Alex’s belly, “Sorry!” His thumb started working again, applying just a little more pressure through Alex’s shirt.

 

Mortified, by the goings on, Alex buried his face in his hand.

 

Yasha caught sight of him. “Feels better though, right?” he asked, tone gentle, but still laugh. 

 

Alex felt his face heat up, and decided not to answer that. Yasha probably knew anyway. 

 

It took Alex a few moment to work up the courage to continue talking. Not removing his hand from his face, he said softly, “Forget Vegan Steve, though.”

 

“Hm?”

 

Moving, two fingers so he could watch Yasha, through his palm, Alex repeated himself. “Forget him, man. You asked for help, and he said ‘yes’ and then spent the whole time being ‘five minutes away’.” Alex shook his head. “Fuck that. If he didn’t wanna help he should have just manned up and said no.”

 

“You’re not wrong,” Yasha said with uncharacteristic glumness. He perked up, “It wasn’t too bad though, right.”

 

“Naw,” Alex said. In a way, he almost preferred not having to meet—or re-meet—a new person. It was less anxiety producing. 

 

Yasha yawned again. “You have work tomorrow?” 

 

Alex shook his head no.

“Me neither.” Yasha replied. “Wanna put another movie on? I’ll let you drink the rest of my beer.”

 

Somehow, Alex doubted he’d have room for another beer. He nodded, yes though, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case your wondering, the pizza place Alex mentions is real, and it is an abomination unto God, himself.


End file.
